North and South

This richly textured novel of romance and class conflict explores the dichotomies between the pastoral South and industrial North during England's mid-Victorian era. Praised by Dickens as "an admirable story," this is a turbulent tale of a woman torn between her sympathy for discontented millworkers and her love for the factory's owner.

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I have read and loved many pieces of classic British literature, this is not one of them. Aside from the main character most of the supporting cast feel rather shallow and the book drags out a needless romance which detracts from the rest of the story which seems to wish to focus on urbanization and class differences of the time. I really wouldn't recommend it.

Classics are hard to read. I am normally a fast reader but reading classics always takes me soooo long. I have to set aside an hour to read a classic a day usually because it takes me like 10-15 minutes to understand where I left back and get back into it. Then I have to read slowly to understand everything because I've missed key details and it gets so confusing. I'd strong suggest listening to not just this classic but other more difficult classics as audiobooks.

On to this actual book. It's really hard for me to like classics because I feel like the plot is never original but usually modern day authors copy old authors like Gaskell. She's not my favorite author but I think this book was good. It was often wordy and sad but ultimately conveyed the ideas and the worries of the Industrial Revolution. It gives a decent amount of insight into life during that time.

I enjoyed listening to the audiobook for North and South, but there were a few elements that I didn't like as much as I could have. I first wanted to read the novel because I heard that it was an industrial Pride and Prejudice. For sure, North and South has similar elements to Pride and Prejudice (it is even more dramatic too), but the plot isn't as smooth. I wanted a super happy story filled with sunshine and rainbows, but North and South definitely had its ups and downs. Overall though, I liked the characters in the novel, and the ending was sweet (even though it felt a little rushed).

North and South is one of my all time favorites. It's right up there next to Pride and Prejudice for me. I never tire of Gaskell's Victorian classic of social class, prejudices and misunderstandings, and of course, love. Don't forget to watch the wonderful BBC mini series as well!

A very deep and richly layered book that is best read in small pieces. It was an eye-opening portrayal of the difference between classes in a factory town. One of the better parts was the fact that there was a happy ending, but the romance wasn't the main focus of the book. Interestingly enough, I recently finished Pride and Prejudice, so I have a good idea of comparison. They are certainly similar in some ways, especially Margaret and Elizabeth, but the overall tone of the story is quite different. North and South seemed to be a heavier book, and the ending, hopeful though it was, didn't feel as rewarding as Austen's. Still, it is a wonderful story that gives definite insight into the town and factories of that time.

"God help 'em! North an' South have each getten their own troubles."
Perennial overshadowed by major 19th century English novelists like Austen, Eliot, and Dickens, whose "Household Words" magazine she wrote for, Elizabeth Gaskell's major works include "Cranford," "Mary Barton," a life of her friend Charlotte Bronte, and "North and South," which was serialized and then published in 1854. The title refers to the more refined South of England, where the protagonist and her family are from, and the more industrial North, where they move to after her father quits the church. It is a novel of contrasts and offers a great deal of insight into working conditions of the time and the clash between labor and management (sadly still relevant). Those who have an idealistic, romantic view of the Victorian era will be surprised about how much this (and other books of the period) are about economic and social situations. Like Dickens, Gaskell can be long-winded at times and rushed at others, but this is an absorbing and provocative novel that still resonates today. "But I'm tired of this bustle. Everybody rushing over everybody, in their hurry to get rich."

Maggoguen
Mar 14, 2014

If you like “Pride and Prejudice” then you will love North and South.
North and South is a novel about rebellion. The author explores the issues of class and gender in the Victorian era. Margaret Hale, the middle-class southerner who moves to the northern industrial town of Milton, is caught up in conflicts: religious, industrial riots, naval mutiny, sympathy for hardworking mill workers and her growing attraction to the charismatic mill owner, John Thornton.

Gaskell's novel is a fascinating combination of Victorian romance and a contemporary exploration of the social upheavals that came along with the Industrial Revolution. Margaret and Mr. Thornton are both well-drawn characters each with a realistic combination of virtues and flaws. Watching their clashes and growing realization of their feelings is a delight. Interspersed is a narrative exploring the conflict, so associated with the Industrial Revolution, between the labourers and their employers. While Gaskell's views are unlikely to gibe with modern sensibilities, in Nicholas Higgins she creates a character that moves beyond caricature of the lower class and imbues him with emotion, intelligence, and ultimately makes him a sympathetic figure. A great read whether the politics, the romance, or both are of most interest.

I enjoyed this book immensely, but I think that the soliloquizing on the plight of the workers vs. masters (and also the thread of religion vs. doubt) detracts a bit from the love story. I wouldn't want to lose the Higginses as characters, just some of the social commentary associated with them. One thing I love about this book is that we get the hero's perspective, not just the heroine's POV.

TJBookworm
May 24, 2011

In comparing it to the movie, I think the movie actually is better. The actors in the movie do an outstanding job portraying the characters, especially Mr. Thornton and Margaret Hale. While reading the book, I felt I could understand the characters better because I had seen the movie. Very much recommend, especially if you've seen the movie. The novel does bear light on the movie.